Nandina in the Texas Landscape Design
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| Nandina is the tall shrub above with the white conical spring blooms pictured with The Fairy Miniature Rose. Well pruned, watered and fed Nandina’s can be beautiful. |
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| Heavenly Bamboo |
| Heavenly Bamboo is classified as an evergreen shrub and in Texas it works precisely as such providing color, texture and often berries all year round.In the fall, the foliage color turns to pink and red, ending the year with bright red leaves and berries. |
| Heavenly Bamboo comes in a dwarf size, as well. |
| The berries will remain and in Texas with so many alternatives for the birds you may well retain your luscious berries. |
| Heavenly Bamboo will slowly grow to 8 feet if it is left alone, but it can be kept at a very compact size by pruning. Just do NOT SHEAR A NANDINA. |
| The more sun a nandina receives the brighter the fall colors will be. That being said nandinas appreciate a bit of shade and will certainly flourish in shade! |
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| It is incredibly drought tolerant, if it has to be. So easy, easy, easy to root. Break of a stem, a few inches down into the woody area in the early spring. Keep the area moist and voila! A new nandina — which explains why these are planted around my A/C unit! |
| You prune a nandina by cutting out canes NOT SHEARING IT. Cut out about a third of the canes in February if you believe it is spreading too wide. DO NOT SHEAR A NANDINA OR A BARBERRY. |
| Guilty! For years and years I overlooked the nandina. It was such an ordinary, old fashioned shrub. Then the dwarfs came on the scene, berryless and I still over looked it. It was the plain cousin and overplanted commercially. The last thing I wanted to see was another nandina, especially Harbor Dwarf which was rapidly appearing at every commercial corner planting. |
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| Below is a Japanese Maple planted in front of Nandinas. This is one of the most charming homes in Dallas and one of the most beautiful Japanese Maples that I have seen in Dallas. I love the simplicity of this planting. The ONLY thing I would add would be six or seven Flirt purple Nandinas toward the front. More is not always better even in the garden. Some times it is just more. |
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| Looks like this homeowner is working on a nandina hedge! |
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| Harbour Dwarf Nandina |
| ‘Harbour Dwarf’ generally grows 18 inches tall for many years before eventually reaching a height of 32 inches. It is generally twice as wide as it is tall. It’s okay, and spreads but when faced competition from the loropetalum it seems like the lackluster sister, the plain-jane cousin, and just so, “why bother.” |
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| If I had a small yard I would not give up valuable space for Harbour Dwarf. With an acre or more, I would certainly consider this shrub and plant for expansion. |
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